Ayrshire Power, the subsidiary of Peel Energy proposing to develop a new supercritical 2 x 800 MW coal plus biomass power station at Hunterston, North Ayrshire, has confirmed that it has "successfully completed the "gate-checking" process for Section 36 planning applications." The process, initiated on 15 March, allowed the Scottish government to assess the application documents in consultation with statutory consultees, to ensure that they contain all the necessary information for a full assessment to be made of the proposal.
With the gate-checking process now completed, Ayrshire Power's Section 36 planning application has now been 'duly made' and, following the necessary public advertisements, which started on 4 June 2010, these plans will be available for public comment and detailed consideration by the Scottish government and statutory consultees.
The design of the 1600 MW power station is based upon the implementation of demonstration scale CCS technology from start up in line with the latest UK and Scottish government guidance.
A vote in the Scottish parliament in March went against the proposed plant, but this has no direct bearing on the consenting process.
Hunterston is one of only two pulverised coal plants currently in the UK consenting process, the other being E.On's Kingsnorth, on which an investment decision was deferred by the utility.
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